حمار

See also: خمار

Arabic

Root
ح م ر (ḥ-m-r)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Semitic *ḥimār- (“donkey”). Cognate with Akkadian 𒀲 (imērum, “donkey”), Ugaritic 𐎈𐎎𐎗 (ḥmr), Hebrew חמור (khamór), Aramaic ܚܡܪܐ (ḥmārā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ħi.maːr/
  • (Hijazi) IPA^(key): /ħu.maːr/, [ħʊ.maːr]

Noun

حِمَار • (ḥimār) m (plural حَمِير (ḥamīr) or حُمُر (ḥumur) or أَحْمِرَة (ʔaḥmira), feminine أَتَان (ʔatān) or حِمَارَة (ḥimāra))

2. ass, donkey

   في بعض المناطق الريفية، يُعتبر الحمار وسيلة نقل هامة.

   Fī baʿḍi al-manāṭiq ar-riyfiyyah, yuʾtabaru al-ḥimār wasīlat naql ʾhāmiyah.

   In some rural areas, the donkey is considered an important means of transportation.

   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 62:5:

     مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُواْ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمۡ يَحۡمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلۡحِمَارِ يَحۡمِلُ أَسۡفَارَۢاۚ بِئۡسَ مَثَلُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

     The likeness of those who are entrusted with the Law of Moses, yet apply it not, is as the likeness of the ass carrying books. Wretched is the likeness of folk who deny the revelations of Allah. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

Declension

Declension of noun حِمَار (ḥimār)

Singular	Masculine			Feminine
	basic singular triptote			singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حِمَار ḥimār	الْحِمَار al-ḥimār	حِمَار ḥimār	حِمَارَة ḥimāra	الْحِمَارَة al-ḥimāra	حِمَارَة ḥimārat
Nominative	حِمَارٌ ḥimārun	الْحِمَارُ al-ḥimāru	حِمَارُ ḥimāru	حِمَارَةٌ ḥimāratun	الْحِمَارَةُ al-ḥimāratu	حِمَارَةُ ḥimāratu
Accusative	حِمَارًا ḥimāran	الْحِمَارَ al-ḥimāra	حِمَارَ ḥimāra	حِمَارَةً ḥimāratan	الْحِمَارَةَ al-ḥimārata	حِمَارَةَ ḥimārata
Genitive	حِمَارٍ ḥimārin	الْحِمَارِ al-ḥimāri	حِمَارِ ḥimāri	حِمَارَةٍ ḥimāratin	الْحِمَارَةِ al-ḥimārati	حِمَارَةِ ḥimārati
Dual	Masculine			Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حِمَارَيْن ḥimārayn	الْحِمَارَيْن al-ḥimārayn	حِمَارَيْ ḥimāray	حِمَارَتَيْن ḥimāratayn	الْحِمَارَتَيْن al-ḥimāratayn	حِمَارَتَيْ ḥimāratay
Nominative	حِمَارَانِ ḥimārāni	الْحِمَارَانِ al-ḥimārāni	حِمَارَا ḥimārā	حِمَارَتَانِ ḥimāratāni	الْحِمَارَتَانِ al-ḥimāratāni	حِمَارَتَا ḥimāratā
Accusative	حِمَارَيْنِ ḥimārayni	الْحِمَارَيْنِ al-ḥimārayni	حِمَارَيْ ḥimāray	حِمَارَتَيْنِ ḥimāratayni	الْحِمَارَتَيْنِ al-ḥimāratayni	حِمَارَتَيْ ḥimāratay
Genitive	حِمَارَيْنِ ḥimārayni	الْحِمَارَيْنِ al-ḥimārayni	حِمَارَيْ ḥimāray	حِمَارَتَيْنِ ḥimāratayni	الْحِمَارَتَيْنِ al-ḥimāratayni	حِمَارَتَيْ ḥimāratay
Plural	Masculine			Feminine
	basic broken plural triptote‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)			sound feminine plural‎; basic broken plural diptote
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَمِير‎; حُمُر‎; أَحْمِرَة ḥamīr‎; ḥumur‎; ʔaḥmira	الْحَمِير‎; الْحُمُر‎; الْأَحْمِرَة al-ḥamīr‎; al-ḥumur‎; al-ʔaḥmira	حَمِير‎; حُمُر‎; أَحْمِرَة ḥamīr‎; ḥumur‎; ʔaḥmirat	حِمَارَات‎; حَمَائِر ḥimārāt‎; ḥamāʔir	الْحِمَارَات‎; الْحَمَائِر al-ḥimārāt‎; al-ḥamāʔir	حِمَارَات‎; حَمَائِر ḥimārāt‎; ḥamāʔir
Nominative	حَمِيرٌ‎; حُمُرٌ‎; أَحْمِرَةٌ ḥamīrun‎; ḥumurun‎; ʔaḥmiratun	الْحَمِيرُ‎; الْحُمُرُ‎; الْأَحْمِرَةُ al-ḥamīru‎; al-ḥumuru‎; al-ʔaḥmiratu	حَمِيرُ‎; حُمُرُ‎; أَحْمِرَةُ ḥamīru‎; ḥumuru‎; ʔaḥmiratu	حِمَارَاتٌ‎; حَمَائِرُ ḥimārātun‎; ḥamāʔiru	الْحِمَارَاتُ‎; الْحَمَائِرُ al-ḥimārātu‎; al-ḥamāʔiru	حِمَارَاتُ‎; حَمَائِرُ ḥimārātu‎; ḥamāʔiru
Accusative	حَمِيرًا‎; حُمُرًا‎; أَحْمِرَةً ḥamīran‎; ḥumuran‎; ʔaḥmiratan	الْحَمِيرَ‎; الْحُمُرَ‎; الْأَحْمِرَةَ al-ḥamīra‎; al-ḥumura‎; al-ʔaḥmirata	حَمِيرَ‎; حُمُرَ‎; أَحْمِرَةَ ḥamīra‎; ḥumura‎; ʔaḥmirata	حِمَارَاتٍ‎; حَمَائِرَ ḥimārātin‎; ḥamāʔira	الْحِمَارَاتِ‎; الْحَمَائِرَ al-ḥimārāti‎; al-ḥamāʔira	حِمَارَاتِ‎; حَمَائِرَ ḥimārāti‎; ḥamāʔira
Genitive	حَمِيرٍ‎; حُمُرٍ‎; أَحْمِرَةٍ ḥamīrin‎; ḥumurin‎; ʔaḥmiratin	الْحَمِيرِ‎; الْحُمُرِ‎; الْأَحْمِرَةِ al-ḥamīri‎; al-ḥumuri‎; al-ʔaḥmirati	حَمِيرِ‎; حُمُرِ‎; أَحْمِرَةِ ḥamīri‎; ḥumuri‎; ʔaḥmirati	حِمَارَاتٍ‎; حَمَائِرَ ḥimārātin‎; ḥamāʔira	الْحِمَارَاتِ‎; الْحَمَائِرِ al-ḥimārāti‎; al-ḥamāʔiri	حِمَارَاتِ‎; حَمَائِرِ ḥimārāti‎; ḥamāʔiri

Descendants

• Egyptian Arabic: حمار (ḥumār, ḥmār)
• Gulf Arabic: حمار (ḥmār)
• Hijazi Arabic: حُمار (ḥumār)
• Maltese: ħmar
• Moroccan Arabic: حمار (ḥmār)
• North Levantine Arabic: حمار (ḥmār)
• → Malay: himar
• Ottoman Turkish: حمار

Further reading

• حمار on the Arabic Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^ar

Etymology 2

Occupational noun from the root of حِمَار (ḥimār, “donkey”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ħam.maːr/

Noun

حَمَّار • (ḥammār) m (plural حَمَّارُون (ḥammārūn) or حَمَّارة (ḥammāra), feminine حَمَّارَة (ḥammāra))

1. donkey driver

Declension

Declension of noun حَمَّار (ḥammār)

Singular	Masculine			Feminine
	basic singular triptote			singular triptote in ـَة (-a)
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَمَّار ḥammār	الْحَمَّار al-ḥammār	حَمَّار ḥammār	حَمَّارَة ḥammāra	الْحَمَّارَة al-ḥammāra	حَمَّارَة ḥammārat
Nominative	حَمَّارٌ ḥammārun	الْحَمَّارُ al-ḥammāru	حَمَّارُ ḥammāru	حَمَّارَةٌ ḥammāratun	الْحَمَّارَةُ al-ḥammāratu	حَمَّارَةُ ḥammāratu
Accusative	حَمَّارًا ḥammāran	الْحَمَّارَ al-ḥammāra	حَمَّارَ ḥammāra	حَمَّارَةً ḥammāratan	الْحَمَّارَةَ al-ḥammārata	حَمَّارَةَ ḥammārata
Genitive	حَمَّارٍ ḥammārin	الْحَمَّارِ al-ḥammāri	حَمَّارِ ḥammāri	حَمَّارَةٍ ḥammāratin	الْحَمَّارَةِ al-ḥammārati	حَمَّارَةِ ḥammārati
Dual	Masculine			Feminine
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَمَّارَيْن ḥammārayn	الْحَمَّارَيْن al-ḥammārayn	حَمَّارَيْ ḥammāray	حَمَّارَتَيْن ḥammāratayn	الْحَمَّارَتَيْن al-ḥammāratayn	حَمَّارَتَيْ ḥammāratay
Nominative	حَمَّارَانِ ḥammārāni	الْحَمَّارَانِ al-ḥammārāni	حَمَّارَا ḥammārā	حَمَّارَتَانِ ḥammāratāni	الْحَمَّارَتَانِ al-ḥammāratāni	حَمَّارَتَا ḥammāratā
Accusative	حَمَّارَيْنِ ḥammārayni	الْحَمَّارَيْنِ al-ḥammārayni	حَمَّارَيْ ḥammāray	حَمَّارَتَيْنِ ḥammāratayni	الْحَمَّارَتَيْنِ al-ḥammāratayni	حَمَّارَتَيْ ḥammāratay
Genitive	حَمَّارَيْنِ ḥammārayni	الْحَمَّارَيْنِ al-ḥammārayni	حَمَّارَيْ ḥammāray	حَمَّارَتَيْنِ ḥammāratayni	الْحَمَّارَتَيْنِ al-ḥammāratayni	حَمَّارَتَيْ ḥammāratay
Plural	Masculine			Feminine
	sound masculine plural‎; broken plural triptote in ـَة (-a)			sound feminine plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Construct	Indefinite	Definite	Construct
Informal	حَمَّارِين‎; حَمَّارة ḥammārīn‎; ḥammāra	الْحَمَّارِين‎; الْحَمَّارة al-ḥammārīn‎; al-ḥammāra	حَمَّارِي‎; حَمَّارة ḥammārī‎; ḥammārat	حَمَّارَات ḥammārāt	الْحَمَّارَات al-ḥammārāt	حَمَّارَات ḥammārāt
Nominative	حَمَّارُونَ‎; حَمَّارةٌ ḥammārūna‎; ḥammāratun	الْحَمَّارُونَ‎; الْحَمَّارةُ al-ḥammārūna‎; al-ḥammāratu	حَمَّارُو‎; حَمَّارةُ ḥammārū‎; ḥammāratu	حَمَّارَاتٌ ḥammārātun	الْحَمَّارَاتُ al-ḥammārātu	حَمَّارَاتُ ḥammārātu
Accusative	حَمَّارِينَ‎; حَمَّارةً ḥammārīna‎; ḥammāratan	الْحَمَّارِينَ‎; الْحَمَّارةَ al-ḥammārīna‎; al-ḥammārata	حَمَّارِي‎; حَمَّارةَ ḥammārī‎; ḥammārata	حَمَّارَاتٍ ḥammārātin	الْحَمَّارَاتِ al-ḥammārāti	حَمَّارَاتِ ḥammārāti
Genitive	حَمَّارِينَ‎; حَمَّارةٍ ḥammārīna‎; ḥammāratin	الْحَمَّارِينَ‎; الْحَمَّارةِ al-ḥammārīna‎; al-ḥammārati	حَمَّارِي‎; حَمَّارةِ ḥammārī‎; ḥammārati	حَمَّارَاتٍ ḥammārātin	الْحَمَّارَاتِ al-ḥammārāti	حَمَّارَاتِ ḥammārāti

References

• Wehr, Hans (1979) “حمر”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN

Malay

Noun

حمار (plural حمار-حمار or حمار۲, informal 1st possessive حمارکو, 2nd possessive حمارمو, 3rd possessive حمارڽ)

1. Jawi spelling of himar

Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic حِمَار (ḥimār).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ħmaːr/

• Audio

  (file)

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

حمار • (ḥmār) m (plural حمير (ḥmīr), feminine حمارة (ḥmāra))

2. donkey, ass
3. (vulgar) idiot, dumbass

North Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic حِمَار (ḥimār).

Noun

حمار • (ḥmār) m (plural حَمِير (ḥamīr), feminine حمَارَة (ḥmāra))

1. donkey
2. (vulgar) idiot, dumbass, jackass

Adjective

حمار • (ḥmār) (feminine حمَارَة (ḥmāra), masculine plural حَمِير (ḥamīr), elative أَحمَر (ʾaḥmar))

1. (of a person) foolish, stupid, idiotic

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic حِمَار (ḥimār).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ħmaːr/, [ħmɑːrˤ]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Noun

حمار • (ḥmār) m (plural حمير (ḥamīr), feminine حمَارة (ḥmāra))

1. donkey, ass
2. (vulgar) idiot, dumbass, jackass

Derived terms

فتحناله، دخل بحماره (fataḥnā-lo, daḵal bi-ḥmāro, “give them an inch and they'll take a mile”)

Urdu

Etymology

Ultimately from Arabic حِمَار (ḥimār).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɦɪ.mɑːɾ/
• Rhymes: -ɑːɾ

Noun

حِمار • (himār) m (Hindi spelling हिमार)

1. male donkey, ass

References

• “حمار”, in اُردُو لُغَت (urdū luġat) (in Urdu), Ministry of Education: Government of Pakistan, 2017.
• “حمار”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2024.